His Wife (A Contract Marriage Story) by Heer Mangtani

Chapter 17

I woke up in my

bed alone, and for the first time in the past month, it didn’t feel like I was forced to be in this house. It had oddly begun feeling like home.

For the first time in a month after we got married, I wore my wedding rings. For the first time, that ring was not a reminder of me being a prisoner in this fairytale-ish nightmare, but a reminder of my husband’s words last night.

I don’t share what belongs to me, Sofia; and for the next five months, that includes you!

I knew Gabriel worked on weekends too, and observing him in the past month, I knew enough to know he would spend more time than ever at work now that he just returned from London after almost a week.

I was on my own, and I figured it would be nice to go visit my grandfather for the day. He had shifted back home this last week, and it was the first time he was living alone since I got back from my school in Seoul. He had never stayed alone, especially not after being diagnosed with cancer.

My maiden home was a good three hours away from the city, in the outskirts. My hometown wasn’t poor, it was just isolated and small and quiet, the kind of place where everyone knows everyone, and everyone loves to talk.

I contemplated about calling Gabriel from the moment I left to the time I was just a few minutes away. My hesitation came from the fact that I hadn’t updated him of my whereabouts any until now, and I didn’t want him to think I became clingy or wife-like just because he had seen me naked.

Finally, I kept those thoughts aside and decided to call any way. He answered the phone on the last ring, just when I about to disconnect. “Hello?” He sounded busy, there was a little bustling around him, and I wondered why his office sounded so chaotic?

“Hi..” I trailed, and then I paused. Maybe he was not at work at all.

“Freckles, I have just a minute. Can you talk quick? I’ve gotta rush to a meeting.”

“Yeah sorry,” I shook my thoughts off. “I just called to let you know that I’ve gone to visit my grandfather”

“Okay,” He replied, “Are you planning to stay over for a few days or…?”

He sounded confused. Of course he was confused about why the f*ck had I called to give him this tiny update.

“No. I’ll be back tonight. Or tomorrow morning, ’cause I have work to finish before Monday.”

“Uh-huh.” He sounded distracted, “The painting you’re working on?”

“Oh no. There’s this file I have to read through, my boss explicitly asked-”

“Huh?” He cut me off.

“What?”

“File? Boss? What are you talking about, Freckles?”

you about working last week, didn’t I? When we were having

again, “Yeah, I remember. You said work, aren’t you

I deadpanned, “I paint as a hobby. I’m

was

He sounded.. angry. His voice was low, but he sounded serious. I suddenly had all his attention. “So are you telling me that you got out there and

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Chapter 17

“Y-Yeah.”

“Are

you frking serious, Freckles?”

Π

voice grew louder, defensive. “I asked you if it would be okay for me to get back to work and

studio in

100.

been married and didn’t take a single hour out of your schedule to know the most basic thing about me?” I

flicker to me from the rear

house.

reply. “You were busy. You had just a minute.

I disconnected the call.

and dumping my phone into it, I headed to the house I had spent most of my childhood in,

we were five. And I get to know

I knew this wasn’t going to be easy, mending what I had broken. I’m sorry, I really am. Everything just happened. And it’s not

true? You both were

I nod.

of her nose, pushing her blonde hair back

a smile, “From the cradle to the

the cradle to the grave.” She hesitantly gives in. “But, if you ever ghost me again for a month straight, if you ever accidentally leave out an important detail of your life like getting married to some hot-shot

girls together, always by my side even when

the next day I was told I had two days to pack my things and leave because there was an aisle I had to

that to anyone- that you were getting married for money? That you weren’t even allowed to have your

was so incredibly sad

idea how much I have missed you too, Al,” I mumble, “I was so scared getting

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Chapter 17

shifting towns and God… it was so